Sleeve-expander



( Model.)

v 0. B. WRIGHT.

SLEEVE EXPANDER.

N0.'537,661. Patented Apr. 16, 1895,

. Carrie Inventor:

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srnerrroa'rron forming part of Letters ATENT ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

XPANDER.

Patent No. 537,661, dated April 16, 1895.

Application filed December 8,1894- Serial No. 531,198. (Model) To aZZ whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARRIE B. WRIGHT, of St. Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Sleeve-Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sleeve expanders for ladies garments, its ob ject being to provide a device which will expand the loose folds of the sleeve so as to hold them in proper position, but which can be readily collapsed or compressed into small compass to permit the sleeveof an outer garment to be drawn over the sleeve containing the expander, and which will spring back or expand to its normal position when the sleeve of the outer garment is removed.

To this end my invention consists in a framework of independent elastic bows having their ends secured to the fabric which serves as the bottom of the expander, the bows also being covered and connected by inelastic fabric, thus forming a complete arch. The cloth serving as bottom and that serving as the cover of the arch is closed together a few inches from the end of the arch and is adapted to be secured to the lining of the-dress sleeve at the shoulder. The end bow at the other end of the arch is connected with the fabric forming the bottom of the arch at a slight distance from the bow by means of elastic tapes or guys, the cloth forming the bottom of the arch being also stitched to the sleeve lining. The bows of the arch are thus normally held in upright position by the elastic tapes but may be folded upward and toward the shoulder by the pressure of the hand or the sleeve of an outer garment drawn over the dress sleeve, and will spring back under the tension of the tapes to normal position when the pressure is removed.

My invention further consists in the construction hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification; Figure 1 is a view of a dress sleeve having an enlarged portion between the elbow and shoulder with the folds expanded and held in normal position by the expander, the position of which is indicated by the dotted lines. Fig. 2 isa detail end elevation of the lower or elbow end of the expander shown attached to the sleeve lining. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the expander shown attached to a portion of the sleeve lining; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same shown in compressed or collapsed position.

In the drawings 2 represents the sleeve lining and 3 the outer fabric or sleeve proper, the upper portion of which between the shoulder and elbow is made much larger than the lining.

A represents the expander which is adapted to be interposed between the sleeve and lining and attached to the lining, as indicated in Fig. 1, at the shoulder and elbow, so as to distend or hold in pulfed shape the loose folds of the sleeve.

The expander is composed of a series of U- shaped bows 4. of suitable spring material such as steel, the ends being secured to the sleevelining, or a suitable pieceof inelastic 'fabric adapted to be stitched to the lining,

of the last bow at the lower or elbow end of.

the expander is connected by suitable elastic tapes or guys 6 to the bottom piece of the arch or the sleeve lining, a short distance from the ends of the bow. These tapes have sufficient tensionto normally hold the bows of the arch in upright position with their covering drawn taut and thus serve to support and distend the folds of the sleeve.

When it is necessary to slip on an on ter garment the expander may be compressed by crowding the bows upward and toward the arm by hand, or they will be thus compressed and collapsed by the pressure of the outer sleeve when drawn over the dress sleeve. When the outer garment is removed the clastic tapes draw back the bows of the arch to their normal position and the dress sleeve is thus restored to its proper form.

I claim 1. As an improved article of manufacture,

a sleeve expander comprising in combination too cured to the same, the inelastic connection therefor to the shoulder part of thesleeve lining, and the elastic connection therefor to the elbow part of the sleeve lining.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, the sleeve expander, comprising in combination with the sleeve lining, the series of interspaced, resilient bows, the means for securing them to the sleeve lining, their intermediate, inelastic connection, the inelastic connection between the arch of the bow at one end of the series to the shoulder part of the sleeve lining at a distance therefrom, and the elastic connection between the arch of the bow at the other end of the series and the sleeve lining at a distance therefrom.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a sleeve expander, comprisingin combination with the sleeve lining the collapsible, tubular arch secured thereon, made up of a series of interspaced, resilient bows inelastically connected with each other, the inelastic connection for one end of said arch to the shoulder part of the sleeve lining at a point beyond the same, and the elastic connection for the other end of the arch with the sleeve lining beyond the same.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, a sleeve expander comprising in combination with the sleeve lining the series of interspaced, resilient, inverted U shaped hows, the inelastic cloth covering therefor secured to each of said bows and extending beyond one end of the series and connected to the shoulder part of the sleeve lining, and the elastic tapes or guys connecting the other end of the series with the elbow part of the sleeve lining.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARRIE B. WRIGHT. Witnesses:

T. D. MERWIN, MINNIE L. THAUWALD. 

